Crazy Week

The last seven days has proven to be out of control! There are good times, there are bad times .... here it is in a glance:

We got the news last week that our kid is huge (deep inside I already knew that ... ) and so Joe and I (mostly Joe) have hit the nursery project hard. He could come any time! This week Joe bought and cut the crown, bought doors for our upper house (YAY!) painted the crown and base, attached the crown and base to the wall and did the finishing work on the crown. All he has to do left is touch up paint, finish the base ... and set up the crib! The end is near. I have had a crazy week so all that I was able to accomplish is to finish the window treatments, make my lamp shade, and ... cut out material for another quilt. (SO SO CUTE!! It is airplane themed ... I will post pictures when it is assembled!)

THREE out of FOUR days this week I stayed past 6p.m. at school! Here is why: STUDENT LED CONFERENCES!! I hate them. Basically instead of having normal Parent Teacher Conferences we have the students put together and present a portfolio to their parents. There is value in them -- sure ... but I truly feel like there is WAY too much work for the teacher. In the past week I have graded over 200 tests and 200 projects. Now I am fast -- but averaging 2 minutes per test (at least ... ) that is 800 minutes! (about 13 hours). The projects that we are putting inside of the portfolios (all of the math 7 classes did the same thing, all of the geometry classes did the same ... ) were created for the sole purpose of being inside of the portfolio. I tried really hard to put meaningful comments on each project -- but it takes SO much time when you are moving on with your curriculum. I average grading 1000 papers a week -- since we give homework daily, (that doesn't include all of the mounds of "late work" that I get daily. Probably 50 a day -- which I have to hand correct myself. That takes a lot of time. I don't feel this burdened any other time of year ... I hate student led conferences. When the night actually arrives I don't get to talk to that many parents. I enjoy talking to the "A" students and gushing about how good they are doing. I don't enjoy talking to the lower students as much (awkward conversation) but I like being able to make a plan to help the students. At regular PTC I see close to 100 or more parents. At SLC I see ... maybe 20. I am tired ... and have been grading projects all morning. I really don't think that it is worth it.

SO our week has been full of getting ready for baby ... and SCHOOL. Thanks for listening to me vent. May this week be easier than last ... but since SLC are a week away ... I highly doubt it!